Anyone Can Whistle
by LightLeadingMe
Summary: Anyone can whistle, that's what they say, easy... Bits of Rossi and Strauss' relationship that we were cheated out of during season eight. Starts the first time we learn of their affair, at the hotel. Ratings may change!
1. The Beginning

The scent of hot sex filled the room, leaving a bit of humidity in the air. The balcony doors were open and the soft, cool night breeze of May weather drafted into the room, blowing the curtains gently in its wake. Late night city traffic could be heard on the streets below the building and music from a local jazz bar seemed to waft in with the wind. On the bed lay two lovers. One, the woman, lay on her stomach, her head resting on her crossed arms and a sheet lying on her hips to cover her nude lower half. The other, the man, lay on his back with his forearm draped across his shoulder and his legs spread out, baring himself in a way to cool off from the raunchy, sexual activity he just parted in.

The man, David Rossi, breathed heavily for a few moments while the woman, Erin Strauss, grinned from under the cover of her arms.

"Holy shit, Erin," David exhaled, "where the hell did you learn to do that?"

She laughed beside him and turned on her side, baring her bosom to him and propping her head up on her hand. "It doesn't matter where I learned it. The point is I know how to do it," she retorted.

He nodded his head and didn't respond, still coming down to earth from the amazing orgasm he had just experienced at the hands - and mouth - of his boss.

"So, tell me," she began. She reached her free hand out and used her fingers to draw patterns on his chest. "As if I already don't know the answer, who started the name "Dragon Lady"?"

David removed his arm from his head and turned to look at her. "We don't discuss work unless we're working, Erin," he told her.

"That's not _work_ related," she defended.

"People _at work_ call you the Dragon Lady, therefore making it _work related_."

"Ugh, you're impossible, David," she scoffed and laid back on the bed to stare at the ceiling. "No wonder we can't get along unless we're... unless you-"

"Unless I'm fucking you senseless?" he finished for her and grinned from ear to ear.

"Do you have to be so-"

"Sexy? Naughty? Perfectly romantic?" he suggested.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Obnoxious was more the word I was looking for," she mumbled.

He ignored her and ripped the sheet from her lower half, letting it land somewhere on the floor and then rolled over so he was lying above her. Erin subconsciously spread her legs to let him settle between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hi, Er," he whispered as he cradled her in his arms.

"Hi, Dave," she whispered back with a smile. "How long as it been? 20 years?"

"Yup," he answered. "20 years ago this March was the last time we were in a hotel together like this."

She bit her bottom lip in thought. "Let me think, it was in Florida, 1991, and we were drunk off our asses."

"No, no, no," he shook his head at her and she frowned. "That was the first time we were together. Did you forget all the months after when we fucked wherever and whenever we wanted?"

"I try to forget that part," she sighed, her fingers absentmindedly brushed through the hairs on his neck.

"And why's that?"

"Cause I was an idiot back then."

He leaned his head down and pressed small kisses to her neck and behind her ear. "Look at where you are, little girl. Are you calling yourself an idiot right now?"

"I had a momentary lapse of judgement tonight and don't call me "little girl". It wasn't cute back then and it isn't cute now," she sighed and pulled his hair so he lifted his head to look at her.

"You had three momentary lapses of judgement, Erin," he told her. "Four if you count -"

"I get the point, David."

They stared at each other for a moment before Erin broke the contact by turning her head to the window to notice the dark blue sky turning a light yellow and orange as the sun began to rise.

"Did we seriously stay up all night talking and-"

"-fucking?"

"Stop interrupting me."

"Why?"

"It's annoying as hell!"

"But I want to bother you."

"There's not a moment in the day when you're not bothering me, David."

"You flatter me."

She rolled her eyes again and he unwrapped his arms from around her, reaching to his shoulders to grab her wrists and then slam them down on the pillow below her head, pinning her beneath him. "David!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"You know," he leaned down and nipped her lips twice before continuing, "I preferred you rolling your eyes at me in a much different manner."

"What are you-"

But he cut her off again, this time with his body instead of his mouth. He rolled his hips into her and she moaned at the feeling of his cock brushing against her core. "Are you up for round five, baby?" he whispered in her ear before nibbling on it.

"Take me, David."

* * *

"It's 8:45 am," Erin mumbled tiredly. "I need to get home and shower."

"You can shower here," David suggested, nuzzling his face even more into her breasts, "with me."

She snorted above him. "I'd never get clean that way."

He moaned, "you're no fun."

10 minutes later, Erin and David were dressed finally and making sure they didn't leave anything behind in the hotel room.

"I think that's everything," she said, brushing a stray bang from her eyes.

"Looks like it," David replied, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. "But, there is one thing I need to do before we leave this room."

"What?" she asked blindly.

He pressed a hand to the back of her neck and brought his mouth down to hers. Erin dropped the purse that was in her hand and cradled his face in her hands as she deepened the kiss, adding her tongue. After a moment, they parted for air and then silently stepped away from each other to contain themselves.

"I'll head out first," he told her. "Less suspicion."

"Suspicion?" she questioned. "Who the hell could possibly be here that we know?"

"Just a precaution," he shrugged and turned to walk out the door when she called his name out.

"You do know this was just a one time thing, right?" she asked nervously. "A fluke?"

"A momentary lapse of judgement, you mean?" he raised his eyebrow at her, repeating her words from earlier.

"Precisely," she agreed with a smirk.

He waved a hand at her and opened the hotel door. "Don't worry, Erin. We got 20 years of pent up sexual tension out of our systems. That's all." He walked out of the room and down the hall to the elevator. When he finally hit the warm morning air as he exited the hotel, he felt a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him. It had been many years since he had stayed up all night and had sex while doing it. He handed the valet his card and waited down below the steps for his car to be pulled around so he could go home and take a nice long nap and-

"Whoah, Rossi!"

David turned around, holding his jacket with his fingers as it lay slung against his shoulder and back. He raised his eyebrows at the sight of his two coworkers dressed as characters from what he was guessing was a geeky movie and/or tv show.

"Why does this not surprise me?"

* * *

**End chapter one! Okay so this story is going to be the whole of David and Erin's relationship. Well. Maybe not the whole of it, but bits and pieces that we were cheated out of during season eight. I hope you enjoy! Review, please!**


	2. Caught In the Act

Erin arrived at her home at approximately 4 am, her body aching places she didn't knew existed. The night before was David's birthday and they definitely celebrated... three times... in various positions. She felt herself blush at the memory of where and how he would fuck her. She was paying for it though because aching pains seared through her body, especially between her legs, with every step she took. She didn't even bother changing her clothes when she reached her bedroom. Instead, she collapsed on the bed and almost immediately fell asleep.

She and David never spent the night together unless they fucked the whole night through. They usually parted in the morning and went their separate ways, each making sure the other wouldn't fall asleep. Sleeping together, actually sleeping, lead to feelings that neither one of them wanted to explore at the moment. They were having fun, that's all, but she could never deny the fact that her heart rate sped up at the mere mention of his name. She pushed it off as anticipation or excitement because of the sex, but in the back recesses of her mind, she knew it was bullshit. She was starting to fall for David Rossi.

When she woke the next morning, she showered away the smell of him and let the warm water relax her sore muscles. Everything still hurt like a bitch, but the shower definitely helped. She dressed for the work day and limped down the stairs and over to the kitchen to find her 17 year old daughter, Haleigh sitting at the breakfast bar eating a poptart.

"Mom?" she questioned. "Are you okay?"

Erin frowned and headed straight for the coffee pot, pouring herself a generous amount. "I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"Uhhhm, you're limping pretty bad there. Did you fall or something?"

Erin tried to keep her face passive and forced herself not to blush. "Oh, no, I went to the gym for the first time in weeks yesterday-"

"You just went to the gym two days ago," Haleigh interrupted her. "I went with you."

This time, Erin did blush and she sipped her coffee to buy time. "Oh, yeah," she feigned innocence. "We did, didn't we? Well," she shrugged her shoulders and grabbed a grapefruit off the counter. "It must have really caught up with me this morning."

Haleigh scrunched up her nose and eyed her mother who was obviously avoiding eye contact. Something was up, but the teenager could not put her finger on it. She wished Ben or Nora were here with her, but they were both off to college. Her older siblings could always read her mother much better than she.

"Well, I'm off to work," Erin said quickly, draining her coffee cup that Haleigh knew was still steaming hot. Her mother didn't even flinch, though, and with a kiss on her forehead, Erin was out the front door and on her way to work.

Haleigh sat at the counter with a puzzled face, forgetting all about her poptart and wondering what the hell was going on with her mom.

* * *

"Mmmm, Dave, we can't," Erin moaned while David kissed and sucked her neck. He showed up at her house 20 minutes earlier after he had gotten off of work and immediately began assaulting her mouth with his own when she opened the door. They made their way down the hall and into the kitchen when he picked her up by her waist and set her on the kitchen island where she now sat. He was standing between her legs that she hooked around his waist, no matter the fact that she was trying to refuse him. "Haleigh will be home any minute."

"A few minutes is all I need," he mumbled into her neck as his hands began making their way under her shirt.

Caving in, Erin grabbed the back of his hair and pulled his head up to hers, mumbling "fuck it" right before attaching her lips to his. They kissed furiously while tugging at clothes. Dave opted out of moving to the bedroom so he just pushed her skirt up around her waist while she unzipped his pants. Just as she was about to release his erection from his boxers, a loud shriek sounded from the hallway.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Erin and David both froze at the voice of Haleigh Strauss and turned their heads to see her standing in the doorway with her jaw practically on the floor.

"Haleigh!" Erin exclaimed and pushed David away before hopping down off the island. She fixed her skirt and Dave stood behind her so he could zip up his pants in discreet. "It's not- It's not what it looks like-"

"Oh," Haleigh placed her hand on her hip and raised her eyebrows, a look David knew all too well from her mother. "So you weren't about to screw Agent Rossi on our counter?"

"Okay, so it's definitely what it looks like," Erin sighed, pushing a hand to her forehead as she felt a headache coming on.

"Ya think?" Haleigh shot back with a glare.

"Maybe I should-" Dave began to say, but the younger woman cut him off.

"No, I'll leave," she told him. "Krista is having a sleepover anyway. I just came by to grab some clothes." She left the doorway and headed up the carpeted stairs, stomping as she went.

"She seems-"

"Don't, David."

"What? I was gonna say charming."

"Sarcastically."

"You don't know that."

She fixed him with a look and he smirked. He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Go talk to her. I'll be in the living room when you're done."

"David," she started to say, but he grabbed her by the waist and turned her towards the direction of the door.

"Go, Erin," he patted her butt to push her forward and watched as she headed in the direction of her daughter, throwing a glare over her shoulder.

* * *

"Hale? Can I come in?" Erin knocked on the door and waited for a response. She learned very early when her eldest was a teen to always knock before entering the bedroom. Teenagers had short tempers and a knack for grudges.

"Yeah," she heard on the other side and she slowly opened the door to enter the room.

"Hey," Erin greeted with a smile as she watched Haleigh move about the room, packing an overnight bag. "I'm sorry you walked in on- on-"

"-On you and Agent Rossi about to screw each other's brains out? Me too," she said with a shudder. "That will be seared into my mind forever thank you very much."

Erin scoffed. "Well, he just showed up randomly and I told him that you would be home soon, but he- he- he makes me do things- makes me throw everything out the window with just a look-" she stopped and shook her head, ignoring her daughter's stare, "that's not the point, the point is- we shouldn't have been doing that-"

"-on the kitchen counter no less-" Haleigh interjected with a smirk.

"Right," Erin agreed. "I'm sorry."

"Mom," Haleigh laughed and sat down next to her on the bed. "I'm not mad or anything. I just wished you would have told me before that you were seeing someone."

"Well, it's complicated. We're not exactly seeing each other. I mean we are, but we're not- it's not a relationship, well that's a lie, I guess it is one, but not a normal one- well, what's normal? It's not-"

"Mom!" Haleigh stopped her mother's rambling and smiled at how nervous she was. "Whatever it is," she placed her hand on Erin's shoulder, "it's good for you. You look happy."

Erin smiled to herself. "I am happy," she whispered.

"Then that's all that matters," Haleigh said, standing up. "I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow when I'm on my way home."

"Haleigh," Erin asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think I'm falling for him."

Haleigh frowned and sat back down, taking her mother's hand in her own. "Why is that a bad thing?"

Erin shook her head and looked down at the floor, trying to gather her thoughts. "What we have- David and I- what we're doing, it's no strings attached. It's mutual, casual. I can't fall for him."

Haleigh felt her heart break for her mother. She wasn't falling for him, she had already fallen, and she fell hard. "Mom," she waited until Erin's eyes met hers, "I saw the way he was looking at you before I left the kitchen. He adores you."

"He just wants sex," Erin rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't lust I saw in his eyes, mom," Haleigh told her.

Erin thought about it for a moment. Maybe David did have feelings for her. He took her out to dinner any chance he could get, he bought her things even when told him not to, he even spent almost all of his free time with her when he wasn't on a case. Maybe her daughter was right. Maybe they could become more than lovers. She decided to test it, see how David would react. Erin nodded her head in final decision and stood up from the bed along with Haleigh. She was about to walk out the bedroom door when Haleigh's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I knew that story about you being sore from the gym was bullshit."

Erin blushed a deep read and ducked her head, pushing her daughter out the door as she giggled. They made their way down stairs and said their goodbyes. Erin strolled into the living room and leaned against the bookcase that was on the wall across from where David was sitting on the couch, her arms crossed and a grin forming on her lips.

"Everything okay with Haleigh?" Dave asked and Erin just nodded at him, not moving from her position. "Are you okay?"

Erin slowly strutted over to him, reveling in the fact that his eyes were bored into hers and not just her body. When she reached him, she placed her knees on either side of his hips, straddling his waist and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him deeply, moaning as his tongue invaded her mouth and swept across hers. She pulled back and placed a finger to his lips to stop him from kissing her once more. "I need to tell you something," she whispered.

"No, you don't," David replied with a shake of his head.

"Yes, David, I do-"

"Erin," he stopped her and stared deep into her eyes, putting all of his emotions out on the table and praying that she picked up on what he was saying. "You don't need to tell me anything."

She watched him for a moment. He was telling her he knew how she felt without actually saying it. He knew she was afraid to say the words out loud, but he could see and feel how she felt about him. On one hand she was grateful that he knew her so well to not voice their feelings, on the other hand, she wanted to slap him for profiling her. Her face broke out in a smile and she captured his lips again with her own.

They were ready for the next chapter in their relationship.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so annoyed with the last sentence, I can't even begin to tell you, but I didn't have an out and that's the best I came up with SO... review please!**


	3. Addictions and Love

"We have a problem."

David looked over at his lover from where he lay in bed. "Oh do we?"

Erin sighed and sat up, bringing the sheet with her to cover her bare chest. She raised her knees up to her chin and stared straight ahead. David sat up as well, beginning to worry.

"I'm going from one addiction to another, David," she confessed to him, biting her bottom lip. "It's not healthy."

"What addiction?" he asked, thoroughly confused. "You're a recovering alcoholic, what ware you replacing it with?"

She turned her head to face him. "You."

"I'm sorry, what?"

She rolled her eyes and laid back down, reaching over to run her fingernail over his bare back. "I'm replacing alcohol with you," she repeated. "I'm utterly and completely addicted to you, David Rossi."

He couldn't keep the grin off his face and he laid down as well, wrapping his arm around her waist and snuggling his head in her bosom. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"I'm not sure," she answered honestly. "All I know is that replacing one addiction - alcohol - for another - sex - is definitely not okay."

David raised his head, his grin suddenly a frown. "This isn't just sex, Erin."

She stared at him, reading his eyes. He was sincere, the care and adoration for her evident. She was testing him. She knew how she felt, but she needed to know, to hear him say how he felt. They'd been sleeping together for the past four months and she needed some kind of sign that this was more than just sex for him.

"What do you feel when you look at me?" she asked, her voice quiet.

David's face lightened and his smile returned. "I feel happy. No, elated, whenever I am in your presence, Erin," he told her. "Hell, just at the mention of your name I get a big goofy grin on my face." He nuzzled his nose against her neck and chin, raising himself up slightly to kiss her gently on the lips. "I love your laugh, your smile, your striking eyes," he removed the sheet from her body and kissed her neck, moving down as he went. "I love your neck, the scent of your perfume on my sheets after you leave, your breasts-"

"David!" she giggled and smacked his shoulder playfully.

He just grinned, placing one last kiss on her lips. "I love being with you, Erin. Not in just a sexual way - just being with you makes my day so much better."

Erin couldn't help it, tears were gathering in her eyes. She'd never felt this way about someone in her whole life. Sure, maybe at the beginning of her marriage she felt that way with her husband, but it soon faded, very quickly. She realized even when her children were little that she had made a safe choice. She didn't regret it - if she didn't get married to Steven then she wouldn't have her two beautiful daughters and handsome son. They were her absolute pride and joy - but she couldn't help but wonder what her life would be like if she took a chance on the man holding her right now.

"David," she whispered, cupping his face in her hands. "I love you."

He didn't respond and Erin felt her heart drop in her stomach. Maybe it was too soon. She knew he had feelings for her, he just confessed them, but she didn't know if those feelings ran deep enough to be considered love. She may have just fucked everything up. Erin turned her face away from him, tears spilling over her cheeks, willing herself to not sob in front of him.

"Erin," David murmured. "Look at me." Slowly, Erin returned her gaze upon him, her lip trembling. David leaned down and kissed the tears away from her face. "Erin, I love you so much it physically hurts my heart sometimes."

She let out a sob, her body betraying her, but this time it was of relief. She pressed her lips tightly to his, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck. "Are you sure your arteries just aren't blocked?"

He let out a laugh against her neck and she smiled. "Only you would crack a joke at a moment like this."

"I can't help it, it's in my bones," she replied, running her hands through her hair. "Especially when it comes to you."

David raised his head to say something when his phone rang on the nightstand. He sighed and rolled off of her to sit up. He answered it gruffly. "Yeah, it's Rossi."

Erin watched David's body tensed the further as the conversation carried on. He stood up suddenly and began putting his clothes on quickly, causing Erin to sit up, worried.

"Alright, I'm on my way now," he informed the caller and his hung up the phone before turning around to face her. "Sorry, babe, I gotta go."

"Is it bad?" Erin stood as well, gathering her clothes.

"Seattle." Dave noticed her getting dressed and walked over to her, stilling her movements. "Stay," he told her. "Take a shower and relax. No need for you to leave as well."

"But I-" he silenced her with a kiss and Erin stopped the protesting. She loved and hated that he could do that to her. She followed him out of the bedroom, throwing his robe on her nude body as they walked down the steps to the front door.

"There's an extra key in my nightstand to lock up. I'll call you before we get on the plane." He leaned in once more and gave her another chaste kiss.

As he reached for the door knob, her voice stopped him.

"I love you," she said quietly and David turned around to smile at her.

"I love you too," he returned, winking at her as he opened the front door.

"Be careful!" she shouted out at him and he waved to her before getting in his SUV and driving off. Erin closed the front door and returned to the bedroom, thinking about their evening together and a smile graced her face. She threw herself back on the bed and sighed happily before snuggling her face in is pillow, taking in his scent. She finally felt complete.

* * *

**A/N: Well holy crap, this was cheesy as hell! Hahaha I feel like I needed a good cheesy chapter cause I've been reading a BUNCH of horribly sad Erin fics in the past few days. Anyway, review, please! **


	4. Nightmares and Meeting The Kids

David walked like a zombie into his home, wanting more than anything to just find his bed and sleep. It was 1 am on a Thursday night and he felt like he had just been run over by three semi-trucks. The flight back from Seattle felt a lot longer than the 4 hours it was, the no sleeping for two days catching up with the entire team. Most of them took naps on the plane, but David could never sleep when flying. Especially with the horrors of what they saw in the past 5 days replaying in his mind every second.

Every time he closed his eyes, all he saw were dead bodies, bloody knives, missing limbs, and the man who did it to all the victims. He needed a shower. A really, really long shower.

He reached the top of the stairs and headed straight for the bedroom, dropping his go-bag on the floor next to the door. He went into the bathroom and turned on the shower, stripping his clothes off and stepping in under the freezing cold water, not even waiting for it to warm up yet. David held his head under the stream and closed his eyes. He didn't know why this case was hitting him so hard. He guessed he should be lucky that he wasn't numb on the inside, the things he sees every day no longer affecting him. As long as he could still get affected, he was still able to do his job. When the screams and the blood and the horror no longer made him cringe, that's when he should be most upset.

He made quick-work of cleaning himself, washing his hair and scrubbing his body, before turning off the water and stepping out. He wrapped a towel around his waist and brushed his teeth. He took a smaller towel and rubbed at his wet hair and then brushed it back a bit.

David entered his bedroom and let a grin cover his exhausted face. He didn't think she would be there, but there she was, all snuggled up in his bed, looking peaceful in her slumber. She always was a light sleeper, obviously not even waking when the shower turned on.

He finished drying himself and grabbed a pair of sweat pants, pulling them over his hips and then turned out the bathroom light. David stalked over to the bed and climbed in behind Erin, careful not to wake her. He almost let out a laugh when she didn't even budge. Within seconds of his head hitting the pillow, David was out like a light.

For about an hour.

As images plagued him in his sleep, David jerked awake and reached over and fingered the sheets to find the other side of his bed was empty. Where did she go?

"Erin?" he called out, his voice shaky. "Erin!"

"David."

"Erin!"

"David, open your eyes!"

He sat up in bed quickly, barely missing smacking heads with Erin in his haste. "Erin," he breathed, running a hand through his hair. "I woke up and you weren't there."

She reached out and rubbed his back soothingly. "Sssh, it's okay. It was just a dream."

He looked at her, his eyes full of demons he was haunted with, yet love for her shining through bigger and stronger. "I'm sorry I woke you."

She shook her head and guided him back so they could lay down. "Don't be. I'm glad I was here when you woke up."

He nodded at her and turned on his side, scooting himself closer. He draped and arm cross her stomach and rest his head on her nightgown covered breast.

"When did you get back?" she asked.

"Around 1. I didn't want to wake you."

She hummed and ran her fingers gently through his hair. "You going in tomorrow?"

"Nope."

She smiled and cuddled him closer to her so he was practically on top of her. "I could use a day off."

David lifted his head and grinned before leaning in and kissing her gently. Nothing more was said as he laid his head back on her chest and she gently lulled him to a dreamless sleep with the sound of her rhythmic breathing.

* * *

"David, can you please stop pacing?" Erin asked her nervous boyfriend. "You're burning a hole in my rug."

"I'm not good with kids, Erin."

She rolled her eyes. "Bullshit. Half those people we work with could be your kids."

"Hey-"

"Just being honest."

"Well, don't next time. Lie right to my face and tell me everything will be okay. That your kids will love me, that we'll get along wonderfully."

She stood up from the couch and grabbed his face in her hands. "David, everything will be okay. My kids will love you and you'll get along wonderfully."

He pouted at her. "You're mean, ya know that?"

"They don't call me the Ice Queen for nothing."

He leaned forward and kissed her right when the doorbell rang. David groaned and Erin practically ran to the door to greet her children.

"Hey mom," Haleigh smiled at embraced her mother, followed by Benjamin and then her eldest, Nora.

"I missed you so much," she told them. "Three months is way too long between visits."

"Well, we have to get our college education somehow," Nora said.

David watched the exchange between the family and took in the similarities between Erin and her kids. Nora, the 22 year old was tall and athletic with dark brown hair like her father. The only thing she got from her mother was her large smile and Erin's green-blue eyes. Benjamin, 21 years old was also tall, but he had sandy blonde hair and Erin's facial features, his eyes a light blue which came from Erin's grandfather. And then Haleigh, who was 17, was the spitting image of her mother. Light blonde hair, green-blue eyes, bright smile, high cheekbones, a square shaped face, and short in stature. Their personalities seemed miles apart though. Haleigh was bubbly and loud, while Erin and Nora were calm and quiet. Benjamin was neither here nor there, loud while story telling, but quiet while others talked.

"Oh, kids, I want you to meet Special Agent David Rossi," Erin said and David snapped back from his thoughts. "We're co-workers at the BAU."

"Among other things," Haleigh mumbled and Nora elbowed her younger sister in the side before shaking David's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Rossi."

"Please," David gave them his best smile. "Call me David."

Benjamin seemed to size up the man before him, squeezing a little harder than necessary during the handshake. "So, David," he began, ignoring the eye rolling of his siblings. "What are your intentions towards my mother?"

"Benjamin!" Erin scolded, but David held up his hand.

Both men crossed their arms over their chests and stood face to face, as if at a stand-off. "I'm in a committed relationship with your mother if that's what you're asking."

"Age?"

"64."

"Is that your natural hair color?"

"Yes."

"How long have you two been together?"

"Five months."

"Do you drink?"

"On special occasions I enjoy a glass of scotch."

"Have you been married?"

"Three times."

"Bad track record."

"I'm not really one for marriage. I like my work too much. Which is why your mother and I get along so well."

"So you're passionate?"

"About work or about your mom?"

"Both."

"Yes."

David smiled and grabbed Erin's hand in his as she hid her face in embarrassment with the other.

"I like him," Haleigh said with a grin.

"You like anything that breathes, Hale." Ben rolled his eyes and let a smile reach his lips. "I'm on to you, slicker. Anything you do to her-"

"Ben," Erin warned.

"No, no, it's okay, Erin." David reached his hand out again and shook the younger man's hand. "I would never intentionally hurt your mother."

Benjamin nodded and continued to stare him down.

"Well!" Haleigh exclaimed, breaking the silence. "I'm starving, where's the food?"


End file.
